Power Supplying Method and Apparatus and a System Using the Same

1. An electronic apparatus comprising: a plurality of loads consuming power to perform a predetermined function; a control circuit for controlling an operation of the plurality of loads; a control-use power supply circuit configured to supply a first power to the control circuit, detect a first abnormal operation state, and stop supplying the first power and output a first abnormality detection signal upon detection of the first abnormal operation state; a plurality of load-use power supply circuits each configured to supply a second power to each of said plurality of loads, respectively, detect a second abnormal operation state of any one of said load-use power supply circuits, and upon detection of the second abnormal operation state, output a second abnormality detection signal; and a power supply control circuit configured to cause said one of said load-use power supply circuits, in which the second abnormal operation state was detected, to stop supplying the second power to a corresponding load of said one of said load-use power supply circuits and cause others of said load-use power supply circuits to continue to supply the second power to respective ones of the loads, upon receipt of the second abnormality detection signal from said one of said load-use power supply circuits.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said control-use power supply circuit includes an overcurrent protection circuit configured to detect an overcurrent state in which an output current of said control-use power supply circuit exceeds a predetermined value.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said control-use power supply circuit stops supplying said first power to said control circuit and outputs said first abnormality detection signal, if the overcurrent state continues for a predetermined amount of time.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said load-use power supply circuits includes an overcurrent protection circuit configured to detect an overcurrent state in which an output current of the load-use power supply circuit exceeds a predetermined value.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the load-use power supply circuit stops supplying said second power to a corresponding load and outputs said second abnormality detection signal, if the overcurrent state continues for a predetermined amount of time.

6. An electronic apparatus comprising: at least one load consuming power to perform a predetermined function; a control circuit for controlling an operation of the at least one load; a control-use power supply circuit configured to supply first power to the control circuit, detect a first abnormal operation state, and upon detection of the first abnormal operation state, stop supplying said first power and output a first abnormality detection signal; a load-use power supply circuit configured to supply second power to the at least one load, detect a second abnormal operation state, and upon detection of the second abnormal operation state, stop supplying said second power and output a second abnormality detection signal; and a power supply control circuit configured to cause said load-use power supply circuit to stop supplying the second power to said at least one load and cause the control-use power supply circuit to enter into a sleep mode, upon receipt of the first abnormality detection signal, and upon receipt of the second abnormality detection signal, cause said load-use power supply circuit to enter into a sleep mode.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said control-use power supply circuit includes an overcurrent protection circuit configured to detect an overcurrent state in which an output current of said control-use power supply circuit exceeds a predetermined value.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said control-use power supply circuit stops supplying said first power to said control circuit and outputs said first abnormality detection signal, if the overcurrent state continues for a predetermined amount of time.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 6 , wherein at least one of said load-use power supply circuits includes an overcurrent protection circuit configured to detect an overcurrent state in which an output current of the load-use power supply circuit exceeds a predetermined value.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the load-use power supply circuit stops supplying said second power to a corresponding load and outputs said second abnormality detection signal, if the overcurrent state continues for a predetermined amount of time.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power supply control circuit is further configured to cause only said one of said load-use power supply circuits, in which the second abnormal operation state was detected, to stop supplying the second power to said corresponding load of said one of said load-use power supply circuits and cause load-use power supply circuits other than said one of said load-use power supply circuits to continue to supply the second power to respective ones of the loads, upon receipt of the second abnormality detection signal from said one of said load-use power supply circuits.

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power supply control circuit is configured such that the respective predetermined functions performed by the respective ones of the loads supplied with the second power by load-use power supply circuits other than said one of said load-use power supply circuits are not affected.